Blood vengeance

"I think the inevitable has been delayed forever, motherfucker," Andrew announces as he shoots the man holding the axe in the center of his forehead.

I shift my position on the floor until I'm leaning against the wall and try to catch my breath.

"Where's Mery ?" I ask Andrew .

"I'm here. Stubborn like you. I'm not dying yet. A scratch isn't going to stop me." He appears from around the corner, and crouching down, checks the bodies around me. "All dead."

Andrew helps me up off the ground. "Let's get you to the hospital."

"No," I protest, though my body begs for attention. "We have to get to Revean . My father is going to marry her and then rape her. I can't let that happen. I want her. Locate her tracker."

Andrew releases me, and leaning heavily against the wall again, I push down the pain. I fight my instincts as the urgency to find Revean takes priority. Adrenaline quells the pain and I peel myself off the wall to stand up without support.

"He's in the chapel down the street."

"Let's go," I order.

Andrew hands me the gun and removes the silencer as we walk through the house and out into the desert heat and sun.

I stop dead in my tracks as we reach outside.

"What the fuck?"

I can't believe what I'm seeing. There are groups of men and women everywhere, both partners and rival casino owners and gang members. Out of the crowd, Vincent steps forward.

"I think this is sending you the message you need, Eliot." He waves his hands toward all assembled. "We've had enough of your father and his dictatorship. Jackson Smart was a good man. He has been vilified for a long time. We're going to support you and his daughter, but only if you're willing to end your father's reign for good."

I throw my head back with a laugh. Everyone looks at me as if I've gone mad. Maybe I have. The pain is quite unbearable.

"My father has taken Revean to the local chapel and plans to force her to marry him. I'm going there now to stop him. I'm going to put an end to my father for good, and I'm going to make sure everyone knows that I'm in charge now. His reign is over.

Vincent nods in agreement.

We all make our way to the cars that have gathered, ready and waiting, and travel in silence to the chapel. I gather my thoughts during the trip. Anger came over me when I realized that my father had killed my mother, but now he has taken the woman I love. This time I am focused, cold and calculating. I am the man my father made of me with years of training, violence and neglect. He made a mistake in telling me that Revean was mine, because I always protect what is mine!

When we reached the chapel, I bark my orders. "Vincent, you and your men take charge of my father's guards. Andrew, Mery, you with me. Mery , once we are inside, go get Revean and protect her. We don't know what state she'll be in. My father had been using her as a punching bag when I last saw her. I'll just deliver the killing blow to my father."

Vincent and his men advance along the front of the chapel while Andrew, Mery and I make our way to the side entrance. Some of my most loyal men follow us. Taking out a couple of guards, we easily enter the chapel, and Andrew disappears into the shadows. I don't need to tell him how this will play out. He and I have worked together for a long time. We've been trained as lethal weapons. We have killed many men, but this time, the motivation is the strongest it has ever been.

Revean is standing next to my father with his gun pointed at her head. She is half naked, bruised, battered and terrified.

"Eliot," she screams when she sees me. The relief in her voice is palpable. I thought he was dead. I can't imagine what she felt.

I push forward. Mery flanks me from the left, still with her shirt covered in blood. My own shirt is splattered, too.

"This will only end one way. The entire Vegas underworld is out. They've turned on you. We're all done with your lies. Let Revean go and surrender."

"A few idiots don't make an army, Eliot . When this is all over, I'll remind them of their place in society. I'm still in control here. As long as I possess the queen on this chessboard, I will be victorious," my father sneers.

His face is inches from Revean's and he licks her cheek. She closes her eyes to block him.

A few more shots ring out in the church and two of my father's men fall to the ground. The priest shouts and begins to recite the Lord's Prayer. He is sitting on the ground next to a pew, a wound in his foot gushing blood.

"Make sure the priest is all right as soon as you can," I order one of my men standing to my right. I turn my attention to the guards protecting my father. "If any of you want to save your lives, then lay down your weapons and leave now. You can go out the door over there." I point to where I have entered. "Don't try to be heroes. You all know as well as I do that you won't see Andrew before he shoots you dead."

Several of the men look at each other, fear etched on their faces. They are family men. They don't want to die. They lower their guns and head for the exit. Andrew takes advantage of the distraction to take out a couple more of my father's men who refuse to surrender, leaving only two guards protecting him.

"Last chance," I offer.